Blog Discuss

A three by three chart of passive voice versions of verb tenses. Under each tense name there are one or two example sentences.

Passive Voice Verb Tenses

Previously, I wrote notes on how to make the passive voice and when to use it. The formation section focused on passive forms of the simple tenses, but other tenses can be passive too.

A rectangle and two squares that contain ways of differentiating how during, while, and for are used.

How to Use ‘During’ Correctly

ESL Students may use 'during' when they should use 'while' or 'for', but we can actually draw clear lines around the use of 'during' to help students use it correctly.

A three-layered pyramid that lists some of the uses of in, on, and at.

Learning When to Use In, On, and At

It’s understandable that students get confused when using prepositions like IN, ON, and AT, even as they reach a high level of fluency.

Three men sitting near the street, chewing the fat.

Food Idioms with Examples and Meanings

Before your students discuss the Food Idiom Conversation Questions, pre-teach the idioms with these meanings and examples.

Cartoon image of a man sitting on a sofa watching sports on TV.

Discrimination Conversation Language

Useful language and definitions for the Discrimination Conversation Questions.

The cover of Grammar for English Language Teachers by Martin Parrot.

My Favorite ESL Grammar Books

As much as it has become natural to turn to the internet for answers in modern life, the internet has serious quality control issues. In some areas, people are happy to take in poor quality information and run with it. But, when it comes to something serious like English grammar, be cautious.

A man standing on stage and speaking into a microphone. He is spotlit and the room is otherwise dark.

Humor Conversation Vocabulary

Practice Switching Word Forms

In the quest to produce natural-sounding sentences, it helps if students of English know different word forms.

A row of bicycles beside a road are mostly covered in a thick blanket of fresh snow.

How We Talk About the Past, Present, and Future

For the most part, we use past tenses to talk about the past, present tenses to talk about the present, and future tenses to talk about the future.

Old buildings in Prague that are lit up at night and seen from across a river.

When to Use the Definite Article with Countries

When we refer to countries in English, we use the definite article (the) in some cases. ESL students struggle with articles in general, but knowing when to use THE in front of countries can be simplified.

A graphic titled 'tag question checklist' which has six items students should remember when making and asking tag questions.

What Students Need to Know to Ask and Answer Tag Questions

We use tag questions, like other questions, to get information. We also use them to invite another person to agree with us.

Talking About Observed Change in English

People walking on the beach at the edge of the water. There are cliffs in the background.

Understanding Used To, Would and Get Used To

'Used to', 'would' and 'get used to' are understandably confusing for English learners.

Talking About Language: Tense, Aspect, Voice, and Mood

The words tense, aspect, voice, and mood, help us to organize and understand language. As an ESL teacher in the classroom, I have only frequently used tense.

Forming and Using the Causative Passive

Causative passive sentences communicate the idea of having something done by someone else: Elvis had his house painted. In that example, Elvis (the subject) organized for another person (or other people) to paint his house.